TATAMAGOUCHE, Nova Scotia – In a long-held Conservative riding the Liberal Party is eager to snatch away, two local farmers are encouraging neighbours and residents of Cumberland-Colchester to vote strategically.

Nestled in a quiet intersection on the 311, an old highway that connects Truro to Tatamagouche and the north shore, is a massive twelve-foot double-sided ‘Stop Harper’ sign.

A short drive along a dirt road will take you to the home of the sign-owners, Wayne Edgar, 67, and Pamela Swainson, 59. Edgar emerged from amid a cat, a dog, a rooster and a handful of hens. “It’s our sign,” he said, brushing the dirt from his gloves.

Edgar and his wife, Swainson, are retired but are dedicated produce farmers.

“We think Stephen Harper is a disaster for the country, and in a sense it’s sort of encouraging people to vote for anybody else,” said Edgar of the sign.

“Or vote strategically,” said Swainson.

“Whatever it takes,” they say in unison, before Edgar completes the sentence, “to stop this current government from being re-elected.”

“We also know this is a sensitive riding, it’s one of the ridings where there’s been a Conservative in here and it’s close. With Casey running there’s a chance we could overturn this riding,” said Swainson.

The race in Cumberland-Colchester is especially close because of Liberal candidate Bill Casey’s Conservative past. Casey was first elected as a Progressive Conservative MP in 1988, but lost in 1993. He was elected for a second time in 1997, and again in 2000, 2004, and 2006.

Casey was expelled from the Conservative caucus for voting against the Harper government’s 2007 budget because it contained changes to the Atlantic Accord — an agreement that had previously provided Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador the full benefits of offshore resource revenues. He then ran and won as an Independent in 2008.

The Liberal Party appears eager to embrace Casey. Both Justin Trudeau and former prime minister Jean Chretien have visited Casey in his hometown, Amherst. Meanwhile, Conservative Leader Stephen Harper visited Amherst in August in an effort to bolster incumbent candidate Scott Armstrong’s campaign.

Both Edgar and Swainson were hesitant to disclose who they intend to vote for on October 19th.

“I’m traditionally more NDP or a Green Party supporter, but whether or not we’ll do that this year … we’re not sure yet,” said Edgar, adding that they’ll have to vote strategically if their goal is to change the government.

Edgar said he’s upset with the way the Harper government has muzzled scientists, failed to use science in policy making, handled the economy and “their failure to be clear and proactive and provide leadership on the environment.”

Swainson, who listed bill C-51 as one of her concerns, said she’s upset with the Conservative government because of “the lack of transparency and the repressive style. This is not a government that is interested in being transparent about how things are done.”

“I just don’t trust them and I don’t think that Harper’s style is one of collegiality, even with other politicians. It seems like it’s just him making decisions and no one else,” she said.

Swainson said what’s been particularly delightful about their ‘Stop Harper’ sign is that all day while they are working outside or in the garden, they hear “beep beep.”